


My Haven, You're My Heaven (You're My Heart)

by katherineerosee



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Eventual Fluff, Friendship, M/M, Minor Kise Ryouta/Kasamatsu Yukio, Minor Original Character(s), Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Pining, slight angst, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-25 20:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7546793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherineerosee/pseuds/katherineerosee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not like he could simply stop seeing Kagami; not only was he his classmate and teammate, he was most importantly his <i>best friend<i></i></i>, and though his feelings were like anchors pulling at his every limb, he could never just abandon their friendship because his silly heart decided it was time to spice things up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Haven, You're My Heaven (You're My Heart)

**Author's Note:**

> I had a sudden craving for KagaKuro, so I pumped this out in two days (even though I should be doing homework and working on other WIPs (that people are actually waiting for) whoops). 
> 
> This is pretty much just: sad Kuroko, supportive Seirin & GoM, kind of oblivious but still somehow kind of perceptive Kagami, probably the nicest OC I'll ever write (because usually don't like to use OCs) and a whole lot of unnecessary pain.

Kuroko still wasn’t entirely sure how he’d gotten himself into this. His back was pressed against the cool wall, his knees tucked into his chest, his arms curled tightly around them, and claustrophobia was swirling around him like smoke, but he refused to move. He pushed his nose firmly against the tops of his knees and the fading scent of ironed cotton and fabric conditioner filled his senses. He wished, for a moment, that the clean scent would wash over him and shove every other thought _away_.

He stared blankly at the dark in front of him, the thin strip of light peeking out from under the door, and mused that maybe, just _maybe_ , he’d overreacted.

There was a sharp knock high above his head, followed by the scuffing of shoes on linoleum and a worried, “Kuroko?”

He could recognise the voice of his usually-irritated captain even through the thick wooden door, but the startling note of worry tinting his tone only made him more reluctant to leave his curled, safe position.

“I know you’re in there,” Hyuuga sighed, “I made sure Izuki followed you.” He cleared his throat softly, then continued under his breath, “he’s the only one that can keep an eye on you, anyway.”

Kuroko felt the faintest hints of amusement swirl in the pit of his stomach before it dropped like a stone.

“Kuroko?” A softer, kinder voice called. _Kiyoshi_. “We just want to make sure you’re okay.”

A sigh escaped his lips and pushed the fluttery strands of his hair away from his face. “I’m,” he cleared his scratchy throat, “I’m fine. I’m sorry I worried you.”

He heard more shuffling from the other side of the door as well as a few quiet murmurs before Kiyoshi called out again, “It’s okay, Kuroko. Could you…come out of there now?”

Kuroko shifted where he sat, pulling his legs tighter to his body and curling further into the corner, “I think I want to stay in here for a bit longer. You can go back to your classes, I’ll be fine.”

“But Kuroko…you’re in a closet.”

“I know,” he sighed, “please, just leave me be, at least for a while.”

“Okay,” Kiyoshi said uncertainly.

“When the next lesson starts, we’re gonna come back here,” Hyuuga warned, a sharp edge cutting his voice and poorly masking the worry, “you better not be in there when we get back.”

Kuroko heard a smacking sound followed by a small ‘ _ow_ ’, then Kiyoshi was back again, “what Hyuuga _meant_ to say was that we’ll be back when our lesson finishes, if you’re ready to talk then, we’ll be waiting.”

Kuroko’s head tipped back and collided softly with the wall behind it as the two senior students walked away. He felt something unpleasantly hot writhing in his stomach, something that was a mixture between the bone deep fatigue he felt after the times Riko tripled their training menu and the sharp, stinging, numbness he felt in his last year at Teiko. It made nausea trickle in his throat.

He closed his eyes again and wondered _how_ , exactly, he was going to explain why he was sitting in a dark hallway closet in the middle of the school day, because he knew Kiyoshi and Hyuuga were not going to let him continue on in silence. He wasn’t even sure of the answer himself.

_“Kagami,” he poked the taller boy in the back with his pencil; the bell announcing lunch break had just rung, and though the red-head was – for once – not sleeping during class, he has been, and currently was staring distractedly out the window._

_“Eh?” Kagami snapped from his stupor, his forked brows shooting up into his hairline and his mouth gaping. “Oh, uh, Kuroko,” he cleared his throat gruffly as he turned to face Kuroko in his seat, “what’s up?”_

_Kuroko crinkled his nose as he pulled a book from his bag, “it’s lunch time, Kagami.”_

_“Hah?” The red-head shot up in his seat – startling several surrounding students in the process – and whipped around to eye the clock above the teacher’s desk, “shit, it is lunch time!”_

_The blunet raised his eyebrows, “did you forget to pack lunch again? I’m sure the line won’t be that long.”_

_Kagami turned back to him, “oh please, the line is always atrociously long,” he shoved his books and stray pencils into his bag frantically, his sharp teeth worrying his lips, “and this isn’t about that.”_

_Kuroko placed his middle finger along the inseam of his novel before closing it around his outstretched finger, “well then, what is it about?”_

_“I got a…note in my locker this morning,” the red-head mumbled, pink faintly dusting across his sharp cheekbones, “someone wants to meet me near the gym ten minutes into lunch.”_

_He felt a chill slither down his spine, “are you saying…you got a love letter?” He asked in his usual deadpan voice, a hint of teasing flourishing the edges._

_Kagami’s fierce, crimson red eyes bored into his own, a deeper blush peppering his cheekbones and the bridge of his nose, “sh-shut up!” and with that he yanked his bag up and over his shoulder and strode out of the classroom._

_Kuroko tried to focus again on the novel once his teammate had left, but his mind kept drifting to the thought of what was happening outside the gym right now. Kagami is being confessed to…what will his answer be? Is it someone we know? Will he say yes?_

_Will he…say yes?_

_Kuroko felt a small prickle in his chest at the thought, a serpent hissing and biting at his ribs with more and more intensity as the minutes passed. What if…he says yes?_

_The words blurred before his eyes, his novel transforming into a mess of cloudy black ink and yellowing pages. He stood swiftly from his seat, sliding a slim blue bookmark across the page and snapping his book shut before gently tucking it into an empty side-pocket in his bag. He was glad – not for the first time – for his lack of presence as he slipped undisturbed from the classroom._

_The walk through the hallways was swift and uneventful, a mere blur of muted chattering from the closed classroom doors, the gentle spring breeze wafting through opened windows. It wasn’t long until Kuroko was facing the wide doors of the gym, the polished floors barely visible through the windows._

_He wasn’t sure exactly where Kagami was meeting this…person, but within a few moments the sound of voices carried along the breeze from just off the side of the gym. Kuroko crept over to the corner of the gym, ready to sneakily glance around the corner when a soft female voice peaked over the wind._

_“…so like I said before, in my l-letter, I really admire you for your determination. I went to every one of your games, but to be honest…before you came along, I had no interest in basketball. But I’m willing to learn!”_

_“Ah…thank you. I don’t really know what to say.”_

_“It’s okay, I understand if you don’t have any feelings for me, but I think that we could be good together, given the chance. I’d love to get to know you, and the basketball that you love a lot better, if you’ll let me.”_

_“Ah, so this is what you meant in the letter…”_

_“Yes. I love you, Kagami.”_

_Kuroko stopped short where he stood, his hands freezing along the painted brick wall and his feet scuffing noiselessly against the pavement. It was silent for a moment, save the wind, but Kuroko was sure in that moment that his ears were ringing painfully._

_“Ah, thank you.”_

_Kuroko heard something in his chest crack loudly, the shattering of glass and fragile china against hard tiles and the unforgiving pull of gravity._

_What…is this?_

_He understood in that precise moment – when Kagami was standing mere metres from him, a girl pouring her heart and soul to him, and Kuroko, with the wind and the sun and plum blossoms beating against his back and his heart shattering in his chest – that perhaps he was in love._

_He stepped back from his ready position, his hand coming up to cover his mouth, and his eyes stinging in the suddenly too strong winds, before he turned and ran from the gym as fast as his legs could take him. He was sure that Coach would be impressed with how fast he was running at that moment, but the thought barely sunk into his mind before it was buried beneath routes and floorplans; the best places to hide in the school._

_He shot through the first year floor, and was thankful that it was still lunchtime, before he rushed up the staircase into the second year’s floor. He passed his classroom – and all his belongings – in a blur before once again rushing up a staircase, his stamina steadily decreasing as adrenaline faded and dread curled up in his stomach like a feline._

_He dashed through the hallway before suddenly slamming into a bigger body. He almost fell before hands steadied his shoulders and held him upright._

_“Whoa, look at where…Kuroko?”_

_Kuroko briefly looked up at the sound of Izuki’s voice, before quickly ducking his head again as the older man’s eyes widened._

_“Kuroko, what’s wrong?” Kuroko expected a pun to spill from his mouth, but apparently the look on his face was enough to silence the jokester in him. “Kuroko?”_

_“It’s fine.” His voice was crackly and caught in his throat like barbed wire, “I’m fine,” he tried to sound more firm, but his voice only grew wispier as his eyes got mistier, “excuse me,” he croaked._

_He slipped from the taller boy’s grasp, but found himself quickly pulled back to Izuki’s side. “Kuroko?” His eyebrows were furrowed and his tone was dripping with worry, “you’re not fine,” Izuki’s eyes were warm and brimming with worry._

_“I–”_

_The door just to the left of them opened suddenly, and Riko, Hyuuga and Kiyoshi stood with irritated expressions and rigid postures (well, except for Kiyoshi, he was as jolly as ever)._

_“Izuki,” Riko grit through her teeth, “we sent you to get drinks for us over fifteen minutes ago, what the hell made you so–” the brunette blinked in surprise at the scene in front of her, “Kuroko?”_

_Kiyoshi was the first to notice his distressed look, “what’s wrong, Kuroko?”_

_He felt white-hot panic bubble up in him, and with that he slipped from Izuki’s hold and bolted for the nearest hiding place._

The shrill sound of the bell ringing echoed in the small room and shocked Kuroko back into the present. He knocked his head lightly against the wall as he startled, and as soon as the sound registered in his mind, trepidation filled him. _Well, time to figure out how get myself out of this one._

* * *

He pulled himself reluctantly to his feet and dragged himself out of the small, dark, hallway closet. He barely had enough time to straighten out his uniform and pat down his unruly hair before big hands clamped down on his shoulders.

“Kuroko,” Kiyoshi said warmly, his usual smile painted across his lips.

“Ah, hello Kiyoshi,” he muttered, staring up at the taller boy as he leaned over him, “I see you kept your promise.”

“You bet!” Riko chirped from beside them.

Hyuuga and Izuki reached over and pulled at his wrists, tugging him along as Kiyoshi kept his big hands on his shoulders to steady him. “You all seem to be very invested in this,” he muttered quietly.

Riko let out an exasperated sigh, “of course we are, you idiot.”

Kiyoshi grinned above him, but his eyes were brimming with concern, “yeah, Kuroko, you gave us quite a scare.”

Izuki chuckled, “you could almost say that he–” he beamed before Hyuuga slapped a hand over his mouth with a sigh.

They collectively dragged him to the front courtyard, Kuroko once again thankful that the hallways were empty because of classes. “Shouldn’t you all be in class?”

“I convinced the teacher that we had some basketball related stuff to take care of,” Riko smirked triumphantly, and Kuroko felt the other three shudder simultaneously. He could only imagine exactly how Riko had _convinced_ the teacher.

The cool breeze ruffled Kuroko’s powdery blue hair and pulled his uniform across his body in waves of fabric. He stared at the ground at his feet, a feeling of forlorn tugging at his senses, “I still don’t understand why you’re so concerned.”

He saw Riko’s small hand curl into a fist and almost winced in apprehension, “Kuroko, you’re one of the calmest people we know,” she practically growled, “so to see you – teary-eyed and frantic – running through the halls, it’s well, a bit of a _surprise_ , to say the least.” This time he definitely winced. “Did something happen? Home life troubles? Did you fight with someone?”

Kuroko shrugged his shoulders quietly – a habit he had picked up from Kagami – and kept staring at the ground.

“Hmm,” Riko tapped her chin with her finger, “did you have a fight with Kagami?”

There must have been something in his expression, because suddenly Hyuuga was muttering, “can Kiyoshi and I have a moment alone with Kuroko?”

Izuki patted him lightly on the shoulder, leaving his hand there and squeezing it comfortingly as Riko said “okay, just, if there’s anything wrong Kuroko, know we’re here to help you any time you need. All of us.” And then they were gone.

“Kuroko,” Hyuuga murmured, a surprisingly soft edge to his usually harsh voice, “are you okay?”

“I–” his eyes fluttered back and forth from Hyuuga’s frown to Kiyoshi’s furrowed eyebrows and sighed, “no.”

“Something happened with Kagami?”

“I…I just heard something I wish I hadn’t.”

Kiyoshi moved from beside him to beside Hyuuga, a soft look in his brown eyes, “what was it?”

Kuroko’s throat felt clogged and croaky, a heavy stone lodged in his larynx that almost made him choke on his inhale, “nothing.” His voice didn’t even sound convincing in his own ears – when did he lose such a grip on his composure?

“You know, I ran into Kagami in the morning before school started, so the two of us walked to our lockers together,” Kiyoshi hummed, a thoughtful but knowing look in his eyes, “he had an…interesting letter in his locker this morning, he blushed bright red when he read it,” Kiyoshi chuckled, turning to face Hyuuga as his eyes widened in understanding.

Dread coiled icy and hard in Kuroko’s stomach, “well, I, uh–”

“Oh,” Hyuuga breathed, “now it all makes sense.”

“What do you mean? T-there’s nothing to understand about it, I was just–”

“Kuroko,” Kiyoshi interrupted, not unkindly, “we understand.”

“You’ve hidden it very well, so well I don’t think _you_ even knew, but Kiyoshi and I…have some experience in these kinds of things,” Hyuuga elaborated, a small smile pulling at his lips and crinkling at the corners of his eyes.

“Ah, you do?” Kuroko couldn’t squash the little bud of hope that bloomed in his ribcage; perhaps they could help him figure out this dilemma.

Kiyoshi smiled fondly at Hyuuga before reaching over and intertwining their fingers, “yeah, you could say that.”

The shock must have shown in his usually aloof eyes, because Kiyoshi let out a hearty laugh and Hyuuga blushed. “I know it’s a b-bit surprising, but we’ve always…” Hyuuga cleared his throat, his blush deepening as he peeked at Kiyoshi from the corner of his eye, “a-anyway! This isn’t about us, it’s about you and Kagami!”

He sighed and leant back onto the painted white brick of the outside walls, “so you know that I…I’m, uh–”

“–ridiculously and irrevocably in love with your light?” Hyuuga supplied, a sly smile on his face.

Kuroko felt a small blush spread over his face, “yes, that,” he muttered, clearing his throat, “and because you two are apparently an item, you have some advice for me?”

“Less ‘advice’ and more support,” Kiyoshi smiled encouragingly at him, but it did little to sooth the ache still scratching at his ribs, “like Riko said, we – us, and all of Seirin – are here for you. Both you and Kagami.”

“I know,” Kuroko smiled fondly – it was really more the barest curl to his lips, but Kiyoshi and Hyuuga knew what he meant – “thank you.”

* * *

The rest of the school day passed reasonably uneventfully – Kiyoshi and Hyuuga finally returned to their classes (hand in hand, and suddenly Kuroko wondered how the hell _that_ had managed to escape his keen senses), and Kuroko decided to go to the nurse’s office and claim he had a migraine (because he _knew_ even though his uncanny ability to disappear before people’s eyes served him well in most cases, when it came to his light, Kagami seemed to always know where he was these days, and maybe that was another reason he was in love with him, apart from his determination and kindness, and the cute dimple he gets on his left cheek when he grins too big and–). He snuck into his empty classroom after the final bell had rung and the teacher and students had filtered out to go home or to club activities. He noticed several missed texts from Kagami asking where the hell he was, and they caused a warm bubble to pop in his stomach.

He was incredibly thankful that there was no basketball practice after school on Thursdays, because he was sure he’d be too distracted to do anything remotely productive. He trekked his way home alone, remembering he would be by himself only as he closed his locker, as Kagami was meeting up with Himuro and Alex while the latter was in Japan. Again, he praised his good luck, and for a moment even thought of texting Midorima to ask if his stars were aligned or something (the thought that he’d answer, and perhaps even ask _why_ Kuroko was contacting him then crossed his mind, and suddenly the idea was significantly less appealing than before).

He swept into his house, shrugging out of his jacket and slipping off his shoes as he greeted his mother before sweeping off to his room, dumping his bag on his desk chair and flopping down on his bed gracelessly.

He flipped himself onto his back and stared listlessly at the ceiling – how long had he been in love with Kagami, and not even noticed? How could he be so observant about everything else but _this_? He glared gloomily at his ceiling fan for a while longer before sighing heavily and grabbing his phone, flipping it open and pressing the familiar name.

The phone rung for a few moments before a cheerful “Hello!” shattered the static sound.

“Momoi,” Kuroko answered, his usual monotone a little more sullen than usual, “I apologise if this is an inconvenience, but–”

“You’re never an inconvenience!” Momoi’s voice was as bright and chirpy as ever, and a feeling of warm nostalgia bubbled in his throat, “what do you need? Information on another team?”

“Ah, no,” he cleared his throat, nerves making his fingertips tingle, “uh, you see–”

“Ah, haven’t heard you that nervous in ages, Tetsu,” Aomine’s deep voice prickled over the line and made Kuroko both more and less nervous than before.

“Aomine,” he answered, his lips twitching up as he heard Momoi scolding the other boy for eavesdropping, “it’s fine, Momoi, I need advice, and getting it from the both of you may be more helpful, actually.”

“Ah?” Momoi asked, surprised. “You need advice, hm? What about?”

“Well, first of all, I have something to tell you, something important…”

“Yeah?” Aomine drawled, a loud yawn interrupting Momoi’s further scolding.

“Well, uh,” Kuroko cleared his throat and braced himself, “it’s really important to me that you guys understand, so please, hear me out,” he squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on the phone, “I’m in love with Kagami.”

“Yeah,” Momoi said expectantly, waiting a moment before she prompted, “and?”

Kuroko almost choked on his own spit, “W-what do you mean ‘and’? I’m _in love_ with Kagami.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Aomine cut him off, “was you being in love with that Bakagami supposed to be a secret?”

Kuroko didn’t know what to say, he was stunned into silence. They _knew_?

“Tetsu, I don’t know how good of a liar you think you are, but apparently you’re shit.”

“Shut up!” Momoi hissed at the other boy before she muttered into the speaker, “you’re not a bad liar, it’s just, well, you’re head over heels for Kagamin, anyone can see it.”

“Except for Kagami, apparently,” Aomine muttered, “I’ve tried to drop hints every time I stay over his house but I guess I was being too subtle.”

“Something tells me either you weren’t doing a very good job of giving hints, or Kagamin is more thick-headed than we thought.”

“I vote for the latter,” Aomine smirked.

“Of course _you_ would!” Momoi snapped back, “you know, you’re not very nice to your best friend.”

“It’s how we show love,” Kuroko could almost see Aomine’s grin widening, “anyway, what advice do you want, exactly, Tetsu?”

“I just,” he sighed softly, “I just need to know if I should try to pursue this, or let it go.”

Momoi hummed thoughtfully, “well, why don’t you look at it this way, Kagamin is the only person I’ve ever seen make you smile like you do now.”

“If I were you, Tetsu,” Aomine sounded surprisingly serious, “I’d go for it. And, well,” his voice took a gruffer turn, “if you ever tell Bakagami about this, I’ll kill you, but…he’s a good guy.”

“Aw, look at you two! I always _knew_ you loved Kagamin! Aw–”

“Shut it, Satsuki!”

“Aw c’mon–”

Kuroko smiled softly again, the ice in his chest defrosting at the familiar sounds of his two friends bickering. “Thank you, both of you.”

A chorus of “that’s okay!” and “don’t mention, Tetsu. No seriously.” Rang over the line before they said their goodbyes and hung up.

He felt light all through dinner and while he did his homework, but as he stepped out of the shower and made eye contact with his reflection in the fogged up mirror, it was as if a vice gripped his ribcage and locked before he could do anything to try and escape it. He felt stupid all of a sudden – how could he have allowed himself to become complacent? Thinking he could simply try to pursue Kagami and just see what happened, as if he didn’t get _confessed_ to earlier in the day. As if some cute and very nice girl hadn’t paraded her love for Kagami mere metres from Kuroko.

The ice was back, sharper and colder than ever, and when he finally laid his head across his pillow that night, any hope of sleeping was long forgotten in favour of laying back and wallowing in his newfound misery.

* * *

Kuroko showed up at the school the next day tired and beyond sick of his new feelings for his light (more like his newly _discovered_ feelings for his light, based on Momoi and Aomine’s reactions, he had been in love with the red-head _much_ longer than he imagined). He managed to pull himself to early morning practice just as the team was heading to the locker room to change into their basketball uniforms.

Koganei and Mitobe greeted him with a cheerful “morning!” and a wave respectively, and Riko shot him an appraising look before a concerned frown tugged at her features. He slipped into the locker room with the others, barely greeting Kagami despite his worried frown and nodded along as Kagami relayed his night with Himuro and Alex. Kiyoshi slapped a big, comforting hand on Kuroko’s shoulder as he passed, and Hyuuga eyed him with suspicion, but continued on out of the locker room none-the-less.

It wasn’t long until the locker room completely emptied, and as Kuroko was sluggishly tying his shoelaces while he sat on the bench, a large shadow loomed over him.

“Alright, what’s the deal,” Kagami’s voice sounded suspicious, as if he was trying to figure out a confusing puzzle.

“What do you mean?” He asked, his voice thankfully back to its usual monotone.

“You’re acting all…weird!” The red-head gestured at him wildly, “like, weirder than usual!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kuroko said blankly, turning back to his shoes as he finished tying them, “shall we head into the gym?” He stood and started walking to gym before a large, warm hand gripped his elbow tight. Kuroko felt his heart stutter and cursed his body for betraying him.

“Listen, Kuroko,” Kagami sounded suddenly very contemplative, “I know I can be thick-headed at times,” _oh, if only you knew,_ “but I definitely know something’s up. If you don’t want to tell me…that’s fine, but, you can tell me anything, Kuroko, you know that, right?” Kagami grinned his too toothy, absolutely adorable grin (which caused Kuroko to simply _melt_ ) and beamed at him, “I’m your light and you’re my shadow for a reason, after all.”

“Ah, y-yes, of course, Kagami,” Kuroko coughed lightly into his closed fist, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good,” Kagami smiled, “let’s go then!”

They walked out into the gym where the rest of the team was beginning to warm up, and for a few moments, as Kuroko tried – and failed – to keep up with Kagami as they ran laps, Kuroko thought that everything was actually going to be okay. And it was, until he looked up at the usually empty bleachers and spotted a petite, black haired girl sitting there and watching them with rapt attention.

“Who’s that girl?” Koganei chirped, eyeing her as she intertwined her fingers in her lap.

“Ah,” Kagami rubbed the back of his head with his hand as a small blush spread over his cheekbones, “that’s, uh…a friend.”

Kuroko felt something pierce between his ribs, and the pain must have shown on his face when Kiyoshi and Hyuuga shot him sympathetic looks, and Riko and Izuki looked like they just figured out the most coveted of secrets.

In that moment, Kuroko decided that maybe, it was best to let this go.

* * *

The next few weeks passed in a blur, with everyday becoming steadily more grey than the last. Every morning Kuroko would attend practice, rushing through his exercises while he tried to block out the sounds of his light talking quietly with the pretty, petite girl he’d labelled as _the winner_ , because she sure as hell was doing better than him (it was better than Riko’s suggestion of _bitch_ ). It was getting harder and harder every time that he had to see Kagami’s broad grin and bright eyes, not to mention the incredible back muscles he had that Kuroko hadn’t really noticed before but now could hardly take his eyes off of – it wasn’t _Kuroko’s_ fault that Kagami insisted on playing one-on-one’s without a shirt, and it’s not like Kuroko was _complaining_ – but there was nothing Kuroko could do.

It’s not like he could simply stop seeing Kagami; not only was he his classmate and teammate, he was most importantly his _best friend_ , and though his feelings were like anchors pulling at his every limb, he could never just abandon their friendship because his silly heart decided it was time to spice things up. And so he had to endure – endure while Kagami stayed achingly just out of his reach, and so far away in _the winner’s_ arms.

Kagami never really said anything about her, and though she seemed perfectly pleasant, it was obvious she wasn’t really interested in the rest of the team. Kuroko wasn’t even sure if Kagami and her were actually dating, but the smitten looks she sent Kagami’s way spoke volumes of her feelings, even if Kuroko had technically heard her confess her love for Kagami (sometimes Kuroko wondered if _he_ looked at Kagami like that, but he tried not to question it too much, otherwise his suffocating feelings would breach the surface of his mind and he’d lose focus _and_ –).

The days blurred endlessly, and suddenly it had been a little over a month since he’d realised his feelings for his light. Momoi had called him a few days ago, chattering on about a meeting Akashi had organised for all of them, and how she couldn’t wait to see him and the others, and Kuroko also felt a little spark of excitement – the first thing he’d felt apart from gloomy acceptance in the past month.

It was a little strange at first, to see all his old teammates goofing around on the court – well, as close to goofing around as Midorima could get – but the feeling was pleasant and warm, and made him forget, for just a bit. They’d just played an intense game of three-on-three, and Kuroko could feel adrenaline pumping through his veins, a bone deep fatigue settling in him as he sat at a bench to the side of the court, taking large gulps of water from his bottle and watching as his teammates argued about the benefits of dunks verses the benefits of three-pointers (Midorima seemed to be the only one truly in favour of three-pointers, but he was unwilling to back down).

“You seem gloomier than usual, Kuroko,” Akashi’s voice was smooth and cool as he sat down next Kuroko, he himself also gulping down his water.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Akashi,” Kuroko answered coolly, keeping his eyes trained on the court in front of him.

“Of course you don’t,” the amusement was barely contained in his voice, “what I mean is, the last time we all met up, you seemed delighted. It’s not as pronounced this time.”

“Ah, I just…have a lot on my mind, I apologise for ruining the mood, Akashi, I’ll–”

“You’re not ruining the mood,” Akashi interrupted, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, is all.”

“Things have been getting…interesting at Seirin High,” Momoi said as she sat on Kuroko’s other side. She placed the clipboard she used to keep track of their scores on her lap and delicately folded her hands over it, “or so I’ve heard.”

Kuroko raised an eyebrow at her and she giggled, giving him a wink before she muttered, “us girls talk, you know,” she cupped her hands playfully around her mouth, “especially about you troublesome boys.”

Akashi gave her a fond smile before rising from his seat again, “well, if you need to talk, please let me know, Kuroko.”

As soon as Momoi and Kuroko were left alone, the pink haired girl turned and faced him, “I wasn’t joking, Riko and I are pretty good friends, you know, we talk a lot,” she paused to slip a lock of hair behind her ear and hesitantly looked him in the eye, “I heard about this…girl that’s been hanging around Kagamin.”

Kuroko sighed and took another swig from his bottle, “yeah, she’s trying to convince Kagami that they would make a good couple.”

“Eh?” Momoi tilted her head, “how do you know that? Is that what she said?”

“No, I…I overheard her confessing to Kagami, and she said she wanted to ‘get to know’ both Kagami and basketball a little better.”

She scrunched her eyebrows, “how long ago was this?”

“About a month ago,” he sighed, “overhearing that was actually what…opened my eyes to my feelings.”

“Ah,” she exhaled, a look of understanding painting her face, “so I’m guessing you don’t have the best impression of this girl, huh?”

Kuroko shook his head, “she’s seems very nice, and if I’m completely honest…in different circumstances I’d approve of her. She seems very dedicated to both Kagami and to learning about basketball, and I can appreciate that, but…”

“…but you wish you were in her position.”

“Exactly.”

“Well,” she shifted in her seat, turning to face Kuroko even more until she was practically leaning over him, “if it makes you feel any better, I think you’re the perfect match for Kagamin.” She hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin with her finger, “it does sound like this girl could be a nice girlfriend for Kagamin,” Kuroko flinched, “but! That’s it. She’d be a good girlfriend. You…you’re Kagamin’s partner, his best friend, his _shadow_. And that means so much more. She may be around for a little while, but you’re gonna be there for it all, I can just feel it.” She caught him in a tight embrace, squeezing him as close as she could, “everything’s gonna be just fine,” she murmured in his ear, and though he didn’t really believe her, her wrapped his arms around her too.

“You guys getting all sappy over here?” Aomine drawled as he stood in front of them, his stance lazy as he eyed Kuroko.

“Something like that,” Momoi put it brightly.

“Well, whatever,” scratched at the back of his head, his eyes glued to the other side of the court, “c’mon Tetsu, stop lookin’ so gloomy and come join us.”

Momoi giggled and Kuroko allowed a small smile to curl at his lips, “sure thing, Aomine.”

* * *

It had been a fairly regular basketball practice – Riko doubling their training menu for who the _hell_ knows why, Izuki making horrible puns as Hyuuga swiftly lost his mind, Kuroko struggling to keep up with the progressively more physically demanding exercises, Kagami chatting with _her_ after practice – when suddenly Hyuuga’s voice rung over the din of the locker room, “Kuroko, could you stay back for a moment?”

The others spared him a glance before trudging out of the locker room, Kagami leaving last with a slap to his back and a grin over his shoulder as he walked out of the door.

“Yes captain?” He turned and saw both Hyuuga and Kiyoshi sitting on the bench – even though Kiyoshi technically wasn’t allowed to play in matches anymore, because they were too intensive for his trick knee, he still attended every practice and still did some light training (now that Kuroko knew him and Hyuuga were dating, he had an inkling that his excuse of “ _I just want to stay in shape_ ” was not the only reason he still attended practice).

“I’m not your captain right now,” he said firmly, “right now I’m your senior, and most importantly your friend.”

“Hm? Then what is it, Hyuuga?”

He noticed that Kiyoshi and Hyuuga were sitting close enough that their thighs touched, and their hands were intertwined on Kiyoshi’s lap, “how are things going with Kagami?” Kiyoshi asked seriously.

Kuroko raised his eyebrow, “things aren’t _going_ at all,” he was glad he finally figured out how to keep his voice monotonous when talking about his feelings for his light.

Hyuuga hummed, eyes narrowing behind his glasses, “it’s because of that girl who keeps showing up to practice, right? I can tell her she can’t come anymore, if you want.”

“No, no,” he shook his head, “seeing her at practice only cements it in my mind that…I should really try to get over this. And I am.”

Kiyoshi frowned at him, “but Kuroko–”

“I’m sorry, Kiyoshi, Hyuuga, but I believe Kagami is waiting for me outside the gym; we’re going to Maji Burger. I must get going,” Kuroko bowed politely before grabbing his bag and swiftly striding from the locker room out into the gym. 

_No more excuses, it’s really time to get over this._

* * *

He was reading quietly at his desk, Kagami sitting at his desk in front of him, scarfing down his lunch when “hey! What’re you doing here?” interrupted him.

He looked up and saw _her_ standing not in front of Kagami’s desk, but in front of his, staring down at him with her big, brown eyes.

“Uh, hey Kagami, um,” she fidgeted where she stood, “sorry, but I’m actually here to speak with your…friend, if that’s okay?” Kuroko wasn’t sure if the question was aimed at him or at Kagami, but he nodded his head reluctantly anyway.

“Oh, uh, okay,” Kagami stood up from his seat, confusion swirling in his crimson eyes, “well, I’m gonna go to the vending machine, do you guys want anything to drink?”

When they both shook their heads, Kagami shrugged and walked out of the room, leaving them relatively alone.

“How may I help you?” Kuroko asked in his quiet, monotonous voice as he placed a finger inside the book to keep his place.

“Uh, um, well,” she fidgeted again, nervously tucking a lock of her long black hair behind her ear before she continued, “I don’t really know how to say this.”

 _She’s not going to…ask for my blessing or something, is she?_ Kuroko felt something ugly slither down his spine at the thought.

“As I’m sure you’re aware by now, I’m interested in dating Kagami,” he was unfortunately more than _aware_ , “and, well, Kagami hasn’t actually said he _will_ date me, but he seems okay with me hanging around.” She cleared her throat softly, fingers playing with the hem of her skirt nervously, “at first I was content with that, I thought that maybe, he just needed some time to figure out if he liked me or not, but now…I’m not so sure.”

He raised his eyebrow at her, but refused to use his voice (out of fear of what it would sound like).

“I never really noticed it before but, Kagami, he…he adores you. You’re like his best _best_ friend, so I thought maybe I should get to know you too,” Kuroko felt like he was going to scream in frustration; _now she wants to be friends? This is not going to end well for me._

“Ah, well–”

She waved her hands in front of him, “it’s okay! We don’t need to be friends! I was _going_ to get to know you better, and then one day, when I was at one of your practices, I just stopped and watched your interactions with Kagami and I realised,” she paused, looking up at Kuroko with her kind brown eyes and again tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, “you’re in love with Kagami.”

His breath froze in his chest, like shards of ice, and a ringing in his ears picked up.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, placing a small hand over his own, “I promise. The only reason I told you I know is because I wanted to tell you that…you’ve won.”

There was a catch in his throat as he stared at her in shock, his expression perhaps more open than it had been in months.

She laughed lightly, not unkindly, and pulled her hands away, “I told Kagami that I loved him, and honestly, at the time, I thought I did. I mean, he’s so handsome and sweet and secretly kind, not to mention how determined he is and…I’m sure you already know all that.” She took a deep breath and tugged at Kagami’s empty seat, pulling it out so she could sit in front of him, “I honestly thought I was in love with him, but…after I actually _saw_ you, I realised that…I didn’t love him.”

“W-what do you mean?” His voice was uncharacteristically croaky as he asked.

“Well,” she sighed softly, “I thought I loved him because I wanted to know everything about him and I knew nothing, because I wanted to be around him all the time. But then I looked at you…the look in your eyes when you look at Kagami, it’s…it’s like the look my dad gives my mum,” she flashed a gentle smile at him, “as if the person you’re looking at is the most precious thing in the world.”

She leant forward and took his hands again, a fond look entering her eye when she noticed his rigid, speechless demeanour, “you were content to sit back and watch me try to court Kagami; there was something in your eyes that screamed _as long as he’s happy!_ , and wow, do I admire that. And that’s when I realised, I’m not truly in love with Kagami, but _you are_ , and you deserve your chance so, _so_ much more than I do.”

She stood from Kagami’s seat and bowed deeply, “I hope you can forgive me for wasting yours, Kagami’s and my own time,” she looked up and smile brightly, “I’ll tell Kagami that I’m done courting him. I wish you the best of luck.”

And then she was gone, leaving Kuroko stock still and stunned in his seat.

* * *

Even in afternoon practice, Kuroko’s legs felt like jelly. He could barely register that he was in practice, let alone that he was supposed to be _actually playing basketball_ , and eventually Riko made him sit on the bench, because he was doing more harm than good.

“Everything okay?” Kiyoshi asked from beside him.

“Yeah, uh,” he was staring at the floor between his feet intensely, worried that if he looked up into Kiyoshi’s eyes he’d lose control of the last dregs of his composure, “everything’s more than fine.”

Kiyoshi hummed thoughtfully, “I notice that girl isn’t in practice today.”

“Yeah,” Kuroko hoped his voice didn’t sound too giddy.

He startled when a long, heavy arm suddenly draped itself over his shoulder and Kiyoshi leant in close to his ear, “I knew everything would work out fine.” Kuroko could hear the smile in the older boy’s voice, and felt one creep across his face as well.

Riko – in a moment of almost unheard of kindness – sent Kuroko home, claiming that if he couldn’t practice he may as well get something productive done, and so he traipsed home under pale grey clouds and got home before any of his family.

He tried to get at least some homework done, but the words all blurred in front of him, and every answer he had kept scattering in his head, fluttering around just beyond his reach and so he gave up. He took a quick shower, scarfed down his dinner (by his standards) and headed off to bed.

The sudden bloom of hope in his chest must have crawled up and settled in his brain, because instead of the usual dreams – Kagami’s broad, broad back as he walked away from him, Kagami’s long fingers slipping from his grasp and fading into nothingness, a confession on his tongue that turned to ash as soon as it left his lips – his dreams were filled with big, warm hands gliding down his back, and the gentle weight of Kagami’s head resting on his chest, and the soft pressure of impossibly long fingers intertwining with his own.

If he knew this whole love business was going to turn him into a sap, he never would have put up with it.

* * *

He tried to continue the next few days as if nothing had happened, but he couldn’t stop his body from reacting to the hope steadily growing stronger and stronger in his chest. Every time Kagami touched him – hell even came _close_ to touching him – his heart would start beating too hard to be normal, his palms were in a near constant state of sweaty whenever Kagami was around, and he could feel the firm grip on his composure stutter and stall in a way much, _much_ , more intense than ever before. It was like all his hard work to get over Kagami fell out the bottom of shoes the moment _she_ relented.

He was so screwed, and he knew it.

It was after a particularly gruelling practice that Kagami stopped changing into his regular clothes suddenly and just sat at the bench, staring down at the floor.

Everyone – apart from Kuroko – had already left, claiming they had study (video games) to do, and so Kuroko wasn’t entirely sure how to approach the situation. He’d never felt uncomfortable around his light before, but he was worried the beating of his heart against his ribcage would be like drum in the echoing silence of the locker room. He trudged forward anyway, “is everything alright, Kagami?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah,” Kagami mumbled distractedly before looking up at Kuroko through his eyelashes. Kuroko felt his heart stutter almost painfully, but was determined to keep his heavy gaze. After a few moments of intense eye contact and heavy silence, Kagami muttered “sorry, I was just…thinking,” and he stood from the bench and kept changing.

They both pulled their laces tight before deciding that they deserved Maji Burger tonight, after the brutal training menu Riko forced on them, and the rest of their night continued uneventfully, but Kuroko couldn’t get the moment in the locker room out of his head – what was Kagami thinking about? Why did he look so _intense_?

Based on the aloof and overly casual way Kagami was acting, Kuroko knew he wasn’t going to get his answers tonight.

* * *

“Is it just me, or has Kagamicchi been acting weird?”

Kuroko, Kagami, Aomine and Kise had all met up on a rare weekend free and had a few rounds of two-on-two. After some energetic plays and the sun beating down on them, they all collectively decided to head to the nearest Maji Burger, where they settled in a booth and clamoured for some sustenance. Kagami had volunteered to go place the orders, and so Kuroko was sitting on one side of the table facing Kise and Aomine.

“Eh,” Aomine shrugged, “he’s always weird,” he stretched his arms above his head and yawned loudly, “but I’ll admit, he’s being _extra_ weird lately.”

“Exactly,” Kise hummed, before turning and staring at Kuroko, “Kurokocchi! Do you know what’s happening with Kagamicchi?”

Kuroko rubbed underneath his wristband absentmindedly, staring at his light’s broad back as he stood in line, “no, I don’t know what’s going on. He doesn’t seem upset, necessarily, but there is definitely something going on.”

“I’m sure Bakagami’s fine,” Aomine dismissed, “how has your _problem_ been going?”

“Eh?” Kise blinked, “Problem? What’s wrong Kurokocchi?”

Kuroko eyed Kise cautiously, “well–”

“Tetsu realised he’s head over heels for Bakagami,” Aomine interrupted in a bored tone, seemingly unfazed by the deathly glare Kuroko sent his way.

“Ah,” Kise nodded in understanding, “yeah, I was the same way about my team’s captain, don’t worry Kurokocchi! It’ll get better soon, I’m sure.”

_How the hell did all these people know I was – am – in love with Kagami?_

Kuroko sighed, “it’s going fine, I guess. I don’t really know what to do, how do I know he likes me back?”

Kise scoffed, “oh please, Kurokocchi, if Kagamicchi doesn’t like you back, I’ll cut all my hair off.”

Aomine gasped dramatically beside him “your hair? Not your precious hair!”

“Oh, shut it!”

“You guys are idiots,” Kagami said as he slid into the seat beside Kuroko and placed the tray with their orders in the centre of the table.

“Yes,” Kuroko deadpanned, grabbing his vanilla shake and taking a small sip.

The four of them bickered for a while longer, small grins pulling at their lips as they did so, until they eventually parted ways, Aomine and Kise walking off in different directions and Kuroko remaining firmly rooted to his light’s side. “May I come back to your place, Kagami?” He blinked up at him.

Kagami gave him a strange, lingering look before nodding and turning to stride back to his apartment. The walk back was filled with companionable silence, and by the time Kagami shoved the key into the lock of his apartment door, Kuroko decided he was going to get the truth out of Kagami tonight.

* * *

They sat together until the sun set playing video games on Kagami’s couch, their thighs unintentionally (or secretly intentionally, on Kuroko’s part) touching and Kuroko leaning against Kagami’s unbelievably muscled shoulder.  When the sun finally set behind the horizon, Kagami paused the game, stood up and stretched, and announced that he was going to make dinner, leaving Kuroko alone on the couch.

Kuroko sat there for a while, head leaned back against the couch, contemplating exactly _how_ he was going to bring up Kagami’s weird behaviour lately when suddenly Kagami was placing a large bowl down in the centre of the low table and handing Kuroko a bowl to serve up his meal.

They ate quietly, an old NBA game playing in the background, but Kuroko couldn’t focus on anything other than his thoughts.

“Kagami?” He finally asked, placing his mostly finished dinner down on the table, “I need to ask you something.”

Kagami hummed in acknowledgement, still scarfing down his meal and eyes focused on the game.

Kuroko steeled himself quietly, “why have you been acting so strange lately?”

Kagami froze beside him, chopsticks halfway to his mouth and eyes wide.

“Don’t say that you haven’t been acting weird, even _Aomine_ questioned it.”

Kagami put his dinner down on the table beside Kuroko’s, staring at it and taking a deep breath before turning to Kuroko and looking him in the eye, “well, it’s just – I mean – I can’t,” he took another deep breath, “can I–” He almost growled before interrupting himself and grabbing Kuroko with surprisingly gentle hands and kissing the air from his lungs.

He pulled Kuroko forward with fervour, tilting his head and deepening the kiss when he felt Kuroko respond with hesitant hands on his shoulders and the softest pressure on his lips. It startled him when Kagami suddenly pulled back, his lips plush and red.

Kagami stared into his eyes for a moment before snapping his eyes shut and throwing himself to his feet, “ah, um, I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to – I mean I just–” Kagami looked just about ready to pull his hair out in frustration when Kuroko reached over and gently grabbed his hands, pulling him back onto the couch.

“Kagami?” He questioned softly, still dazed from the sudden kiss.

Kagami released another heavy sigh, slumping back in the couch until he looked about ready to melt, “I’m sorry Kuroko, this is my problem, I – I shouldn’t have involved you.”

“What is the problem?” He was glad in moments like this he had a lot of patience.

Kagami looked up at him for the second time from beneath his lashes, his eyes tired but so warm, “I love you,” he said desperately, “and I’m sorry.”

It was Kuroko’s turn to freeze in his seat, eyes wide. He sat stone still for a moment before suddenly throwing himself across the couch and into his light’s arms. Kagami let out a grunt as Kuroko suddenly landed on him, but he quickly adjusted to make sure Kuroko wouldn’t fall by wrapping his arms just beneath the smaller boy’s ribs. “Kuroko?”

“You idiot,” Kuroko muttered into his neck, “idiot, idiot, _idiot_.”

“Kuroko?” Kagami asked, bewildered.

He pulled back, eyes brimming with tears and a bright smile across his lips, “why are you a-apologising?”

Kagami stared at him in shock; the bright smile on his usually indifferent face making him look positively radiant. “W-well, I–”

Kuroko chuckled wetly, emotions caught in his throat, “I _love_ you, you _idiot_.”

 Kagami’s shocked face only made him laugh harder, so he buried his face back into Kagami’s neck, rubbing his wet eyes against his black t-shirt and nuzzling the taller boy’s neck with his nose.

“How did you not notice?” Kuroko asked, glee bubbling in his voice, “I’ve been in love with you for _months_ now.”

Kagami started, “y-you have?”

“Of course I have.”

Kagami cleared his throat above him, pulling him closer and tightening his strong arms around Kuroko’s smaller frame, “you…you know how I had that girl hanging off me for the past few months?”

Kuroko nodded mutely into his shoulder, tightening his hold on the red-head.

“Well, she said to me a few weeks ago that she wasn’t going to pursue me anymore because…there was someone else interested in me that she thought stood a better chance.” Kagami shifted so that Kuroko settled between his legs, “I spent _so long_ trying to figure out who she was talking about, I mean, I was surprised such a nice girl was interested in me in the first place,” he pulled his knees up on either side of Kuroko, as if embracing him with both his arms and his legs, “and then…it was like I just, _noticed_ you for the first time. I saw you for what you were, and suddenly, I didn’t even care who was interested in me,” he buried his face into Kuroko’s unruly hair, “all I wanted was _you_.”

Kuroko felt fresh tears brimming along his bottom eyelid, but he stayed quiet as Kagami kept talking. “I started really watching you, actually paying attention to you, and – I don’t even really know how it happened, but I just fell in love with you one day, and it’s–it’s relentless.”

“I know how you feel,” Kuroko croaked, placing a light kiss on Kagami’s exposed collarbone.

“I’m glad we got this settled,” Kagami let out a breathy, wet chuckle before kissing Kuroko’s temple, “are we…together now?”

Kuroko pulled back slightly, placing his hands gently on Kagami’s lightly flushed cheeks, and leaning I to kiss him deeply. He tilted his head and intensified the kiss, licking hesitantly along the seam of Kagami’s lips before pulling back and kissing the corner of his mouth, “of course we are,” he replied breathily, before peppering light kisses across the entirety of Kagami’s face.

Kagami laughed at the ticklish sensation, and hugged him back tighter, “I’m glad.”

* * *

Kuroko ended up staying the night at Kagami’s place after a quick phone call to his parents, and they spent their time well (they made out and played video games, definitely time well spent). After they brushed their teeth and washed their faces, they fell into bed together, Kuroko curling into Kagami’s chest, and Kagami caging Kuroko in his embrace.

They ended up walking to school together hand in hand, a beaming grin on Kagami’s face and Kuroko’s mouth pulled up into an almost invisible smile. They stayed relatively discreet throughout the school day, only sharing the occasional adoring stare, until practice ended, and Kuroko grabbed Kagami by the hand, dragged him up to the seated Hyuuga and Kiyoshi, and told them they were dating.

Kiyoshi immediately turned to Hyuuga and held his hand out expectantly, “alright,” his grin shifted into something a little more devious, “you owe me 1500 yen.”

“Dammit,” Hyuuga cursed quietly, digging into his pocket before slamming the money down into Kiyoshi’s large hand. He looked up at the two shocked younger students with a glare “couldn’t you have waited just one more week?”

“Ah, uh–” Kagami stuttered.

“With all due respect, captain,” Kuroko interrupted, “no, I could not have waited even another single day.”

The grin Kagami gave him was worth the later embarrassment.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the second fic I've written that ends with one character owing another money because of a bet. I don't know what that says about me.


End file.
